Drove past a vineyard north of Seneca KS the other day and there were goats inside the fence with feed and water troughs in the corner. I'd think goats would be the worst thing to have in there. I'd think they'd eat the vines along with everything else. Has anyone seen goats in a vineyard?

No, I’m with you. I’d think that’s the last thing you would want in a vineyard

I’ve heard of running sheep in vineyards, but not goats. Goats have very specific preferences at different times of the year. Well, at least mine do. Maybe they won’t nibble on grape vines this time of year?

Thats one way to prune the vines.

Sounds like a recipe for disaster

Yep, I’m with Dale!

Wine flavored goat meat, who is up for some ?

Could be the owner just did their winter pruning and did not want to pick up all the sprouts.

It's interesting. They ain't rookies......the people that own the vines came up from Manhattan to plant them there. Not sure what the deal is. Maybe a university project. They always have $ to burn.

I would have no fear to have goats in a mature vineyard this time of year. After all, you need to prune 90% of the old canes out every year anyway. In the meantime they probably do a bang up job of keeping perennial weeds mowed down.

I wonder if they eat the falling gape vine leaves?
I had a goat once, and during the fall his preferred fodder was cottonwood leaves. As the leaves would fall to the ground he would run around and goggle them up as they hit the ground. Maybe some types of leaves have a high sugar content or something??

In the winter my goats like to strip bark off trees and eat small twigs on youpons and such. And will absolutely destroy a small to medium fruit tree in a few unsupervised minutes any time of the year.

I bet they are not in there for more than a few days or weeks and yes they will prune back the old foliage very nicely and at much lower cost then with paid labor. A few people can walk through next spring and clean up the missed spots. It may or may not work but I am guessing that those vineyard owners have some experience.

Bryce

Come from Manhattan you say, wonder if it was in that Teamster last will and Testiment, you know Jimmy Hoffa's

I know my cousin would get them into his cherry orchard after the picking was over to clean up the fallen fruit because of a weevil that was in the seeds that overwintered.

Manhattan KS, uncle tipsy.

right on the Kansas/Nebraska line between Seneca Kansas, and Dubois Nebraska.

There's a project here to clear Brush and weeds from empty lots in the inner city by fencing it and throwing in a small herd of Goats, seems to work pretty good. Can't imagine them not clearing off grape vines tho.

Sounds like a wine & cheese project to me

I hope it works out for the vineyard people.

Cottonwood leaves are goat potato chips.

I used to get paid to shoot feral goats in the vineyards of El Hierro and Tenerife and was able to sell the goat meat as well